South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-09-30

Thank you," she said, simply; it
was all she had voice for, and, using
her latchkey, she let herself into the
house.
BLESS me.' said the young lawyer,
as he walked of, ''but the girl has
pluck! 1t was very pretty, and entirely
womanly, too, the way she thought of
others, her grandfather and the credi-
tors. didn't think little Polly had it
in her.
III he had seen little Polly at this min
ute, he might not have thought she had
so much in her; she had slipped noise
lessly into the great handsome front par
Tor and dropped down on one Of the low
cushioned divans, call in heap" as the
girls say. For two whole hours she
kept herself hid in the parlor, nobody
knowing she was in the house, and in
that long, silent time, when she heard
only the tinkling little bronze clock, and
her own irregular breathing, something
happened to Polly, almost like what
happens to the moth when it comes out
OF the cocoon. 1t happened to the
Polly that was hid away inside of the
Polly that everybody knew; and who
shall say but that this great, startling
change of fortune was not sent to keep
that inside Polly from being smothered
and dwarfed by the outside Polly!
When she went to find her mother and
grandfather, it was with bright face
and steady voice.
A few days after this, Polly brought
up dainty little break fast to her
mother, who was quite overcome by
their disaster, as was the poor old grand
father.
Come, mither," Polly said blithely,
81 made these biscuit, and you've got to
eat two. What good thing it was
that you had that hobby about teaching
me to do things; don't it fit in nicely
now"
ut was theory of your fathers,
answered the mother, in depressed
tone; 81 promised him when you were
wee baby in long clothes that would
have you taught to do everything that
women can do, and of course, after his
death, felt the more bound to do it.
But don't know why you should make
so much of it now; you can't support
yourself by making biscuits"
II don't know" said Polly, care
lessly; II don't know" she repeated
more earnestly, springing up and walk
ing about the room as if her mind were
not following her footsteps.
In n few weeks the Rutherfords had
moved into a small downtown house.
with all the available rooms '1et," and
poor old Mr. Rutherford was irving
feebly to discharge the duties of a small
salaried office into which his friends had
put him.
Polly,s mother seemed quite crushed
at first, but the girl herself was buoyant
with hope, as every young girl has
right TO be, no matter what her style of
living is-or is not
Thanks to Mr.. McIlwaine, she had
her hundred dollars now to invest in an
enterprise on which she had set her
heart far more than it had ever been set
on the pearls. And along with the
hundred dollars she had also to invest
in it youth, health, good sense, brave
spirit, and proud independence.
What else needed she for a happy and
successful life2
Her enterprise began with visit,
basket in hand, to seven or eight of the
best city hotels, and is many of the res
taurants; to all of them she offered n
daily, weekly, or tri-weekly supply of
her dainty little beaten biscuit, such as
she had learned to make down i'm eastern
Virginia, from famous old cook, who
had in slave days belonged to her
fathers family. She was successful
almost up to her own expectations, and
far beyond her mothers, and her elation
could not but infuse some hope into that
ady's weak spirit.
1--WE must have a new name for your
biscuit, miss" said one wise old retau-
rant keeper; ''what shall we call them? 2"
Call them" said Polly, hcsitating
and laughing, 'call them the Polly vol
ly-winkum biscuit"
The Polly-wolly winkum biscuit got
to be the fashion that winter; after hir-
ing one good cook at what seemed rui
GUS wages, second and third had to
be engaged; but Polly put on her great
kitchen apron, tied up her abundant
hair into a high knot, and spent four
hours of every day in her kitchen her
self; no plea Of other engagements, no
prctensc that the cooks would do as
we'll without her. no tempting offer Of
sleigh rides, no flattering invitations of
any sort could make the little mistress
of the bakery break her rule, or neglect
her work. Naturally the biscuit grew
in favor
The last time ] visited the Polly-wol-
ly-winkum bakery, it had moved its
quarters TO large we'll lighted kitchen,
with q class room attached. Yes, q
Clugg.rOcrn for poItv had ,,,rocd e., ,oo,I